Botswana Approves First Manganese Mine in Push for Diversification

Botswana has granted Giyani Metals a 15-year mining license, making it the country’s first battery-grade manganese producer. The company’s Kgwakwe Hill (K. Hill) project will process manganese oxide to produce high-purity manganese sulfate, a critical component for electric vehicle batteries and other clean energy technologies. With an expected annual output of 80,000 metric tons over a 57-year lifespan, K. Hill will become one of the few battery-grade manganese projects outside China, which currently controls 90% of the global supply. Giyani Metals aims to start production from its demonstration plant in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company announced that the output from this plant will be used for offtaker qualification, which is important for it to sign offtake agreements. Botswana, historically reliant on diamond mining, is diversifying its mining sector to include minerals like copper, nickel, and manganese, as global demand for diamonds falls.

SOURCE: REUTERS